'Excessive self-defence' blamed for brutal knife attack

A SPATTERING of stab wounds to the chest could have cost a man his life after Nathan William Charles attacked a rival with a hunting knife.

The assault was the culmination of a long-running family dispute, which ended with a Warwick street fight on Tooth St in August 2016.

Charles fronted Warwick District Court yesterday pleading guilty to grievous bodily harm, after he committed an act described as "excessive self defence". Crown Prosecutor Matthew Le Grand said the 29-year-old had an altercation with his cousins on the day of the offence and his aunty confronted him while he was in a car with his girlfriend.

"She stood at the driver's side and yelled at defendant to get out of the car," Mr Le Grand said. "She walked away and the car reversed, so she smashed the rear tail light with a stick."

The court heard Charles got out of the car armed with the knife, and was then punched by his aunty's partner.

At the same time, Charles lunged at the man and plunged the knife into his shoulder.

Mr Le Grand said Charles fell to the ground but his victim kept punching him, so he stabbed him multiple times in his chest and abdomen.

"Two of those injuries were life-threatening because without treatment the complainant would have died through blood loss," Mr Le Grand said.

Charles, who now lives in Toowoomba, was on parole at the time and was immediately taken back into custody.

Judge David Andrews said the fact Charles had a history of possessing knives in public and violence made the matter more serious. "It's a knife that got you into trouble in this case, if you left it in the glove box or left it at home this wouldn't be troubling you now," he said.

Taking into account time already served, Judge Andrews sentenced Charles to three years' jail but released him on parole immediately.